Image forming system having enhanced functionality

Abstract

A sheet feed apparatus, e.g., coupled to an image forming apparatus, can include: a main frame; a storage unit mounted on the main frame and configured with a capacity to store a large quantity of sheet-like material; a transporter mounted on the main frame and configured to supply the sheet-like material to the image forming apparatus; an additional unit adapted to be mounted on the main frame and operable to enhance a functionality of at least one of the sheet feed apparatus and an image forming apparatus; and a supporting frame mounted on the main frame in place of the additional unit, and further adapted such that the additional unit is mountable thereon; the additional unit being mounted on the supporting frame.

1. A sheet feed apparatus comprising:
 a main frame; 
 a storage unit mounted on the main frame and configured with a capacity to store a quantity of sheets; 
 a transporter mounted on the main frame and configured to supply the sheets through a sheet transporting port of the sheet feed apparatus so as to exit the main frame, 
 wherein the sheet transporting port is horizontally coupled to a sheet receiving port; 
 a supporting frame mounted on the main frame, the supporting frame including a holding member; and 
 an additional unit mounted on the supporting frame and operable to enhance a functionality of the sheet feed apparatus, the additional unit configured so as to sit within a front, side, and rear periphery of the main frame based on a plan view such that an entire bottom face of the additional unit is above a lower surface of the holding member but below an upper surface of the main frame. 
 
     
     
       2. The sheet feed apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the additional unit includes an image scanner. 
     
     
       3. The sheet feed apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the image scanner is provided with an automatic document feeder. 
     
     
       4. The sheet feed apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the holding member is configured to be inserted inside the sheet feed apparatus, the holding member holds the image scanner by positioning a bottom face of the image scanner lower than a top face of the main frame of the sheet feed apparatus when the image scanner is attached to the supporting frame. 
     
     
       5. The sheet feed apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the supporting frame includes an attachment member fixed to the main frame, and the attachment member is attached with a hinge of the automatic document feeder. 
     
     
       6. The sheet feed apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the additional unit is mountable on the supporting frame in the same manner as the additional unit is mountable on the main frame. 
     
     
       7. The sheet feed apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein outer sidewalls of the additional unit are completely bounded by inner sidewalls of the main frame. 
     
     
       8. An image forming system comprising:
 an image forming apparatus; and 
 a sheet feed apparatus, horizontally coupled to the image forming apparatus, including at least the following,
 a main frame, 
 a storage unit mounted on the main frame and configured with a capacity to store a quantity of sheets, 
 a transporter mounted on the main frame and configured to supply the sheets through a sheet transporting port of the sheet feed apparatus so as to exit the main frame and feed into a sheet receiving port of the image forming apparatus, 
 wherein the sheet transporting port is horizontally coupled to the sheet receiving port, 
 a supporting frame mounted on the main frame, the supporting frame including a holding member, and 
 an additional unit mounted on the supporting frame and operable to enhance a functionality of at least one of the sheet feed apparatus and the image forming apparatus, the additional unit configured so as to sit within a front, side, and rear periphery of the main frame based on a plan view such that an entire bottom face of the additional unit is above a lower surface of the holding member but below an upper surface of the main frame. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The image forming system according to  claim 8 , wherein the additional unit includes an image scanner. 
     
     
       10. The image forming system according to  claim 9 , wherein the image scanner is provided with an automatic document feeder. 
     
     
       11. The image forming system according to  claim 10 , wherein the holding member is configured to be inserted inside the sheet feed apparatus, the holding member holds the image scanner by positioning the bottom face of the image scanner lower than a top face of the main frame of the sheet feed apparatus when the image scanner is attached to the supporting frame. 
     
     
       12. The image forming system according to  claim 10 , wherein the supporting frame includes an attachment member fixed to the main frame, and the attachment member is attached with a hinge of the automatic document feeder. 
     
     
       13. The image forming system according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 the sheet feed apparatus is a first sheet feed apparatus; and 
 the image forming system further comprises a second sheet feed apparatus disposed at close proximity in a horizontal arrangement with the first sheet feed apparatus, the second sheet feed apparatus being configured without a supporting frame; 
 the supporting frame of the first sheet feed apparatus being configured to dispose at least one structure of the first sheet feed apparatus at a different elevation than at least one structure of the second sheet feed apparatus, respectively, so as to facilitate closer proximity of the horizontal arrangement. 
 
     
     
       14. The image forming system according to  claim 8 , wherein the additional unit is mountable on the supporting frame in the same manner as the additional unit is mountable on the main frame. 
     
     
       15. A sheet feed apparatus, comprising:
 a main frame having a sheet receiving port and a sheet transporting port; 
 a storage unit within the main frame and configured to store a quantity of sheets; 
 a transporter arranged within the main frame to provide at least a first sheet path from the storage unit to the sheet transporting port and a second sheet path from the sheet receiving port to the sheet transporting port, the second sheet path extending through a full body dimension of the sheet feed apparatus and configured to facilitate the passage of sheets from an adjacent sheet feed apparatus to the sheet transporting port, the transporter configured to supply the sheets through the sheet transporting port of the sheet feed apparatus so as to exit the main frame, 
 a supporting frame on the main frame, the supporting frame including a holding member; and 
 an additional unit mounted on the supporting frame and configured to enhance a functionality of the sheet feed apparatus, the additional unit configured so as to sit within a front, side, and rear periphery of the main frame based on a plan view such that an entire bottom face of the additional unit is above a lower surface of the holding member but below an upper surface of the main frame. 
 
     
     
       16. The sheet feed apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the additional unit includes an image scanner. 
     
     
       17. The sheet feed apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the image scanner is provided with an automatic document feeder. 
     
     
       18. The sheet feed apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the holding member is configured to be inserted inside the sheet feed apparatus, the holding member holds the image scanner by positioning the bottom face of the image scanner lower than a top face of the main frame of the sheet feed apparatus when the image scanner is attached to the supporting frame. 
     
     
       19. The sheet feed apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the supporting frame includes an attachment member fixed to the main frame, and the attachment member is attached with a hinge of the automatic document feeder. 
     
     
       20. The sheet feed apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the additional unit is mountable on the supporting frame in the same manner as the additional unit is mountable on the main frame.